Believe to Achieve

10.5  miles on my mountain bike on a very fall-like round trip up the trail by Lone Peak and down by Deerfield Elementary with my husband.  I enjoyed myself  but my poor husband had to put up with a bike that could only do a few gears.  I tried to get him to switch with me but he is after all a guy  : D.     A gentleman.  Not going let me rip my calves more trying to pump a bike up lots of hills without the ability to lower the gears.  Today is so beautiful.  Ended my workout with some core and arms.  I am still struggling with push ups.  My husband breezes thru them.  Maybe I will get some strength in me after my IV therapy on Wednesday.  Our AP for today was 5:45.  So nice and easy.  So very lovely. 

3 @ 9:29 Pace.  My calves prevented me from going any faster.  They have never hurt this bad.  I keep massaging them.  If I sit for a while then get up they feel "normal" then they start to pull and feel extremely tight and sore after standing or walking around.  The muscles are tender to touch.  Not as painful as yesterday but not "runnable" and probably should have stopped after a few steps today.  I worked all day and that was tough as I walked a ton.  When I got to sit it was so nice for my lower calves.   The two inch heels on my clogs for an 1 1/2 hours after the race Trick or Treating in the POURING rain then another 2 hours in my husbands oversized boots shuffling as I walked after the rain stopped  probably over did it for them.  I didn't stop moving after the race not even for a second.  

First mile 9:03, last mile 7:25.  Calves still not well.  So short today.  Then IV iron therapy.  I am a nurse and I still don't like the thought of needles and infusions.  Hopefully super powers soon  :D.    Just learned after my run on my way to visiting teaching that a 17 year member of our ward after telling his parents he didn't feel well went to bed last night and never woke up.  He died.  I saw my Bishop out visiting  at the end of my run.  He was with his wife.  I was curious what he was doing.  I should have known it was something very important to be  10am and my bishop is a busy Dr.   A half hour later I found out from my neighbor.  Too sad.  Never a good time to go but UNexpected and YOUNG is too much.  My brother died in a car accident 25 years ago TODAY (he was 19) so this really feels sad for what the family is going through and will go through.  Time goes by so slowly when someone you love dies.  

Plan to run 10 miles.  Ran with Troy for first three very easy. First mile 9:30.  Then took off for 7 alone.  Felt in a slump even with the Autumn beauty all around me so just kept it easy until I got the notion to do some brief pick ups.  5 x .25 miles at random points in my run and one .5  pickup in between the .25s.  Seriously felt great to pick it up and it felt easy.  However my darn inner lower calfs are still sore.  So  I may take the day off tomorrow instead of running before work.  I will run Sat. morning before work.  My paces above were 6:30 to 6:40.  My .5 mile was at 6:33.  AP for all 10  = 8:23.  Nice and warm out.  Breathing feeling great.  Hope the iron has something to do with it.  Have three more doses.  Yuck.  I felt like I could taste it going thru my veins yesterday. 

5.2 miles at 7:43 AP before work at 5:01am in the darkness, alone.  Took too long to get out of bed so minimal miles this week.  Got in two at 7:02 pace so that was fine.  Was thinking I could convince myself to go for 5 more AFTER work but my cute family waiting for me at the dinner table was too much a deterrent.  So not many miles this week.  At least my calves are calming.

Ran a windy, rainy run to the mouth of AF canyon.  A dude passed me running full speed so of course I had to follow him just a bit to not let get him get too far ahead and think he's superman.  He turned around at the closed potty at the golf course across from Lone Peak High school on the trail and was probably surprised to see me so close to him.  I continued along the trail south.  Lovely rain, wind and COLD.  My  upper arms were numb and I was parched.  My ankles were stiff that when I hit the rocky dirt I tripped a few times and sort of twisted my ankle.  On the downhill my right achilles really started to ache.   Darn.  But of course  I still went ahead and did my pushups.  My shoes were soaked so I did them barefoot.  A mistake as that only stretched the achilles more.  Just when I was making progress on the pushups I am going to have to avoid them for a bit.  This happened in June when I tried the pushups too.  Weak ankles I guess.  Perhaps I should do them with my feet pointed on the ground?  That way  I don't stretch the tendon.  I ran slow the first half as it was steep uphill  so trying to get my AP down was kind of difficult in the cool air.  I was not in pick it up mode.  AP 8:03 for 13.1 decent miles.  Fall leaves lined my pathway.  : D.

Fell asleep early last night and woke at 4am.  Nope too early.  Plan to run 10 if ankle holds up nice and easy.   Fell briefly back to sleep and got out the door finally at 5:50am.  I didn't want to do loops and the later I went the better chance of some light on my way so I could go in surrounding neighborhoods alone and not be freaked out by anything,  mainly of stray dogs.   So I turn on the porch light and head for the outdoors.  HELLO!! what is this? flurries, wind?  cold again?  There were low lying clouds all around me.  It was cool looking but the howling wind was daunting.  Oh well I just decided to trot along.  At about five miles into my run my right achilles started to burn and prevent me from striding correctly.  I tried not to put any weight on it by not pushing off with that foot.  It seemed to help at times but by the end it really was a thorn in my side and is currently swollen and burning. Also the daylight did not shine until the last three miles of my run.  NO sun however.  I was pretty much cold the entire run.  Got my goal done.  Pace 8:31 for 10 miles.  Probably won't run before work tomorrow.  Going to ice, compress and elevate all  I can today.  

Worked.  Day off to rest the achilles and wasn't up for a cold windy run in the dark before or after work. 

Ran with some co-workers-- Taunya, Risa, Ryan and Rhonda.    Actually I  used to run with Taunya and Rhonda a few summers back for a summer.  It was a great time for me as I was getting lonely on my runs and asked about joining them yesterday at work.  So glad to run nice and easy and to run on the JRP.  We ran south to "try" to avoid the cold wind.  When I turned around (I turned at 5 miles while the others turned at 4.7 to stop for Risa to take a gu) it took a bit for me to catch back up to them and WOWSERS was there quite the side/headwind.  How come we didn't notice it on our way south?  Anyway was not inviting but as a group we kept our spirits up.  Ran 10 miles in 8:15 AP.  Not sure why I am on the 10+ mile thing right now?  I guess I am seeing if I have it in me like last year.  My achilles didn't start acting up until about mile 8 just after I had picked it up for a bit to catch them.  My mizunos are desperate for replacement and I am sure have no more support, hence the injury.  Currently waiting for my new mizunos to arrive thru the mail--they are precisions.  

After talking to speedy Kim yesterday I thought I should get my butt in gear and do some lactate threshold workouts she started doing.  I ran one of the workouts Kim emailed me with a nice warmup and cooldown.    The one minute "on"  being at almost all out and the two minutes  "off" at  very easy pace.   The workout:  warmup for three miles at 8:57 pace.  First mile 9:25.  2% grade to keep it real.  It felt so nice.  Then I hopped off to get water and stretch.  Apparently the stretching "awakened" my  right  foot achilles problem again (I iced it last night and it went thru some burning moments while I slept but was gone by morning).  Bummer that it started before I even started so I knew my form was going to suffer.  I started to get a blister on my left foot up on the inner big toe bunion area.  Double bummer. But I persevered and finished slightly shy of my intent.  I was going to run 16 on/offs and the website said 12-16.  I am such an over achiever but I gave up because the achilles was really screamin' by the end.  So  I compromised and did 13, lucky 13.   At 1% I ran 1 minute ON at 10mph (6:00 min/mile) and 2 minutes off at 6.7 mph (8:57 min/mile x 12 then ended with an easier one at 9.6 mph (6:15 min/mile).  Cooldown at 2% for 1.5 miles at 8:27 pace.  Total miles= 10.  Don't know the AP.  Felt good to finish such a hard workout.  What to do about this achilles?  New shoes still haven't arrived so that's part of my problem.  Picked up half a shift for a nurse in need tomorrow so won't be tempted to run on my injured foot again for 10 miles.  Did some arms in the weight room at the PG rec and then came home and did my pushups using my ball at my ankles to avoid the strain on my achilles.  Worked out great.  

Well a funny thing happened after  I wrote yesterday's report about not being tempted to run today....  MY NEW SHOES ARRIVED at 5pm !! What luck!! So I wore them to the first BYU basketball game of the season last night (cause they are so cute and I need to break them in) and after working for 6.5 hours this morning and chowing down on baked masticolli and some chocolate squares, I felt the need to go running.  I was wanting 50 miles for the week and so I ran 7 today.  But not without some discomfort.    Abdominal discomfort.  My stomach didn't register the food I ate until I began running.  So I burped and burped and hoped the nauseating feeling would go.  I couldn't run fast because doing so would shunt more blood away from my stomach and cause further trouble.  I just ran easy and MY FOOT GAVE ME NO PROBLEMS.  It was hurting immensely at work this morning.  I call it one of my MS-like attacks-- burning nerve pain from my neck down thru my chest, hip, leg and foot.  This time on my right side.  It usually happens on my left side but once in a while it pops up on the right side.  I had Troy do trigger point pressure pushes on various areas to release the burning pain after work and the huge eating session.  The massage helped and I was able to think about running and releasing the toxins.  It seems whenever my family (two kids currently and a husband) get colds/fevers I get intense burning nerve pain instead and a headache.  I rarely if ever get a cold.  Knock on wood.    AP for 7 miles = 8:34.   

Too snowy, windy and cold for me.  So I opted for the TM today.  I ran a 12 mile ladder.  Starting at 2 % grade I ran  four  1/2 miles for the first two miles at 6.3, 6.5, 6.7 and 6.9 mph.  Then one at 8:27, one at 8:00, one at 7:30, one 7:03, one  at 6:58, 0ne at 7:30, two at 8:00, two at AP of 8:27.  Done.   At the first mile at 8:00 I put the grade down to 1.5, at 7:30 pace I put it at 1 % and at 7:00 pace I put it at zero.   I am such a wimp.  But my blister on my left foot began to fester and my form was changing because of it so I just wanted to get it done.  Going slower made me trip on myself but faster made me feel the blister more.  I really wasn't in the mood to run today.  I kind of want to be really lazy lately.  I guess it is time for my second dose of iron.  My back is starting to ache again like it did when I got my iron level checked.  I am bummed I have to pay 100 dollars per infusion out of pocket but best to do it before the year is over.  That's a new pair of shoes times FOUR!!!    My motivation to run is really low.  Am I going to pull a Forrest Gump and just stop in my tracks on some run?  All my followers looking to me, what now Julie?  Huh.  That's a good laugh.   I don't have any followers.  But I am inspired by many of you!!!   So help pull me out.  Off to read inspiring running stories of the day.  

Got the incling to run an old favorite of  about the same time last year.  I  ran SUNCREST!!    I parked at Smith's Marketplace in Lehi after dropping my girls off at school.  Started my run at 9:30am.  Felt pretty windless in PG so I figured now was as good a time as any to take to the hills.  6 miles up, 6 miles down  (saw the yellow road signs that show the truck than a grade- 8 and 10 %!!!!) .  Yippee, skippee : D.  All by my lonesome.  No music on the way up as I wanted to hear myself having a heart attack and to hear the howling wind at mile 4.5 to 6 miles.  Rested for two minutes and stretched then headed back down.  Back and right hamstring being a thorn in my stride.  But uphill I felt really strong.    I noticeed how loud my feet land, as usual, but more so.  I have skinny feet and I hate tight lacing so then my feet jiggle around in my shoes.  What to do?  I thought of having fat injected into them.  That would hopefully slow down some of the heel-strike hemolysis that adds to my anemia problem.  Did you know that running and hitting the pavement on your heels breaks down red blood cells?   That is mentioned on running websites for runners with anemia.  REALLY encouraged with my time today.  AP uphill: 9:15.  AP downhill  7:09.  Total AP =  8:12 for 12.1 miles.  That was fun!! Rewarding views of icy mountaintops and city vistas.  Spectacular!!!  

Ran one mile warm up then took off to meet up with Kim for 7+ miles.  Ran home from Kim's an extra mile at 6:59.  AP for 10 at chattable pace of 8:07.  It was such a nice morning.  Not too chilly, but chilly if you know what I  mean.  The sun will be out today.  It was too dark on our run but light but the end.  Saw many joggers and bus stop teenagers and some Christmas lights.  Loved this run.  Kim is always fun to run with except when she is burning me up AF canyon.  : D.     AFterwards:  Ball pushups  12,10,7,7,9.  60 seconds betweed sets.  Weights arms 5 to 8 pounds (biceps 2 types, flys, shoulder press), bench dips, side planks, bicycle abs, crunches.    Feel like I am getting stronger  : D.  I know I am only doing minimal weight.  No big muscle plans in my future just strength and toning. 

3.5 miles at 5:15 am (AP=8:34).  Only could get in that many as I had to be to work at 6am.  Couldn't seem to get myself out of bed until then.  Warm breezy morning.  Very nice.  Right hamstring tight.  Then went to work and pretty much had an atypical migraine all day--stomach upset, burning nerve pain from my neck down through my chest and back of thigh.  It passes after several hours so I just deal with it.  Just hadn't had one this bad for a while.  I have been eating a lot of foods that I usually avoid so I am sure it was food and hormone triggered.  Later later this evening I got off work and b-lined it to all three of my daughters' piano recital.  I was very anxious to see Amber, my littlest play in front of an audience.  Well, that was not to be.  I had forgotten that my car had no gas and Troy already had the kids there.  I tried to drive there and then I ran out at the stoplight getting off at Orem Center St.  There I was at the front having to wave people around me.  If I didn't have to stop there I would have made but the idling took the rest of the gas.  A nice lady pulled up beside me.  She asked if I had a cell phone.  No, I replied and that I was on my way to a piano recital and just got off work.  She wanted to give me a ride to the gas station just 1/4 mile a way but what to do with my SUV in the middle of EVERYTHING!!!  I kept trying to start my car and after another red light and new cars behind me wondering "what the heck woman!!"  I said a quick prayer and said I just want to get to that gas station right there.  And like that my car started and I made it.  But I didn't make it to see Amber in time.  She was the last of the littlest to perform so I could be there but they still had her perform even though I didn't make it.  She looked at me and said mom, you missed me.  And I sat there sad and mad, and then Brooke my middle girl got up for hers.  She didn't need negative energy so I tried to change gears and be happy.  I looked over and saw that Troy was taping it and was glad for video and a forgiving little girl.

Last night at the Souper Friday I was invited to run with a group from my ward.  They have been trying to get me to join their Ragnar Team.  I am just not that in to Ragnar as a yearly adventure because it takes up my whole weekend and I work every other one.  But I was so happy to join them on this run.  Nice easy pace.  I ran 2.6 miles before meeting up with them then we ran to the Lindon City Park and ran on that new path there up to the top of Lindon City.  It was at least 12 percent grade in points.  It was heart attack producing but exhilarating nonetheless.  We were in several pace groups but we stopped at times to wait for the others.  The fall leaves mixed with the rain last night smelled so wonderful.  I ran a total of 12.7 miles at the amazingly so lovely pace of 8:51.  The others all ran 6-9 miles.  I so love running with a group even if I sped up at times I would trail back.  But mainly I stayed with them.  I needed the break and the social network. 

Okay since I have a time restraint (IV therapy here in a few minutes) I got myself out of bed to my alarm at 5:50am.  Listened for howling wind.  None that I could hear through my walls.  So I slowly but surely pulled myself up and out the door-- BRRRRRrrrrr!!  Plan was 10 miles and get back in time to see Courtney off to school at 7:30.  I started per garmin at 6:16am and did those loops I do around my neighborhood.  It is a rolling hill course for 1.3 miles.  I ran it in reverse direction today to give myself some variety.  It's just too dark to run outside my little perimeter at this time and by the time daylight struck I was in a groove so I just torchered myself running the same loop.  I was planning on going easy but when at mile one I was at 8:38 and mile two at 7:59 (when I thought I was running a 9:30 pace) I just kept going at what I felt was easy.  Suddenly I am at 7:46  for mile three then 7:25 for mile four (in between not looking at my watch) and still not working too hard so I decided to see where it took me-- the next mile was 7:09 and I am like hey what's the hurry and how come this feels good?  Its freezing out and WINDY, what am I doing?  Well like Forrest Gump I just kept running seeings how it was working for me.  The next mile was 7:08, then 6:58.  Okay let's take it down and see how I feel.  The next mile I slowed but apparently I then sped up, the recovery allowed me to feel even better, 7:18,  then 7:13, 7:07.  AP for 10 miles=  7:28.  I haven't done that in a WAYYYYYYY LONNNNNNG time.  Seriously like back in May.  I felt great.  Came indoors to see if Courtney was getting ready then headed back out for a short cool down.  I felt so good that I ran two miles.  Came back inside and my other two girls were up early. Brooke was playing the piano.  Not needed quite yet so I headed out once more and tagged on two more miles.  I seriously felt like I could go on for at least 20 miles total.  But I constrained myself and stopped at 14 miles.  The last four miles were a cooldown.  AP 8:19.  The first mile was 8:55 but then I just felt so darn good I couldn't slow down.  Who knows why.  Hope I feel like this every day.  One can only hope.  It doesn't end here.  I felt so energetic I did 12, 10, 8, 8, 12 pushups with the ball, side plank, front plank, arms (flys, shoulders, biceps, triceps).  Finished off by vaccuming after IV therapy.

10 miles turned to 12.2.  Ran up to the canal and decided to go out 5 and turn around and then decided why not turn around at 6.1 miles to make it a marathon in 24 hours?  So that's what I did.  I ran easy but the wind was fierce at times and the mud on the trail embedded in the waves of my shoes (they are wave runners afterall) and I didn't realize how much so until the end of my run.   I had to spray them off and work the dirt out of the waves with a toothpick.  Annoying.  It was like getting  that first scratch on a new car but I tried to not be too OCD about it I just wanted my shoes to regain their cushioning and that wouldn't happen with all the clay soil lodged in there.  They are good to go now except they need to dry. ANY way enjoyed the canal.  It is a nice break from the road.  I put the breaks on down  1100 north back to my house as I am still not sure what to run on Thanksgiving day. The 4 miler at Orem rec? the 5k at Fleet feet?  or the new 10k added to the 5k in Draper?  The 4 miler is flat as well as the 5k.  I don't know the route in Draper and being the first year it may be severely disorganized.  Or do I just run around here BECAUSE IT WILL BE FREEZING!!!!  19 degrees for goodness sakes!!!  41 degrees high today and tomorrow it drops drastically to 19 for two days.  YUCK!!! AP for today's 12.2 miler = 8:27.

Bitter cold run at 5:03am before work.  Alarm went off at 4:40am.  Tried to go back to sleep but couldn't so got my warm butt out into the FROZEN tundra.  But I quite enjoyed it.  I was nice in warm in my 80s fleece pullover (yup same one as last year).  Didn't realize my legs were in early stages of frostbite as they were itchy and red when I returned and burned when I got in the shower, but only briefly, about 20 minutes.  I felt I could have gone on for a while but ran out of time as it was now 5:45am and my shift begins at 6am.  Brief shower and off to work after 5.2 miles at 8:18 AP.

Got up at 415am in the ICE BERG like environment.  Temps below 10 degrees.  But I felt AMAZINGLY great except for the fact that at mile four I noticed my cheeks were numb so I kept patting them back to life with my gloved fingers.  My thighs and stomach were again bright red.  AP for 10 miles = 7:49.  BTW no race for me today.  I was not cancelled as I thought I would be for Thanksgiving. I worked for 12.5 hours.  Too many babies born this week, likely due to the weather.  No one was cancelled.  Our unit was full.  The babies adorable!!!  This evening I still feel some affects of the frostbite--numbish cheeks and thighs, but can tell it will pass with some time and a great night's sleep.  No early am run tomorrow.  I hope to get out in the daylight and some different terrain late morning. 

So I got up at 715 am.  No sun but got to run.  Mom in town and she is anxiously wanting to shop.  I hate to shop.  I love to run.  So I got out the door at 7:52am in all my gear.  I added a long sleeve cotton shirt over my nylon shirt and underwear and then of course the infamous fleece jacket.  It also absorbs nasal secretions.  : D.    I ran a very hilly route and felt great once more.  The second dose of IV IRON must be kicking in.  All this time and that's all it would have taken me to feel better?  Wow.  Ran strong and felt strong.  Uphills gave me even more power.  I hope this continues.  AP for 13.1 miles 7:48.   Splits:  8:23, 8:16, 8:03, 7:56, 7:45, 7:50, 7:50, 8:10 (huge hill), 7:24, 7:38, 7:17, 7:16.  Still feeling really good, except now my middle daughter came down with a very bad headache, sore throat  and stomach ache and fever.  Must be a nurse at home as well.  She has been crying all day.  I gave her a massage and that helped briefly and some tylenol, ibuprofen.  I have a slight scratchy throat right now so I hope to overcome.  Melanie and I are running together tomorrow. SIDE NOTE:  my time for this run, being  a half marathon length was 1:42:13.  Seriously?  that is close to my Hobble Creek half time in 1995 when I ran it the first time and my third half.  And this was rolling hills and Hobble is wicked down hill for 6 miles.  Back then I thought I would die running a marathon at the pace I wanted to.  And now at 41 I am in better shape.  Just odd. 

AP for 15.5 = 7:50 COLD (15 degrees) miles in Lehi and Highland with Melanie.  Actually my hands were sweaty--I was way over dressed.  My butt was melting then freezing, my thighs were so tight from lack of warm blood  and my cheeks (on my face) were numb but oddly I felt warmer than any run the last few days.  However, three days in a row at a rather brisk pace is probably my limit.  I wanted to go easy but Melanie wanted under 8s and she picked a LOVELY uphill climb for 7.7.5 miles then turn around.  It was tough as my thighs were stiff but breathing felt totally fine.  I couldn't sleep well last night so I am sure that was part of it.  Broken sleep and a sick child.  But all in all I made my goal of 70 miles this week--- the 1st anniversary from my 70 (72 miles to be exact in 2009) mile week last year.  As I write this I can still feel my thighs thawing.  I am so glad for a rest day tomorrow.  Next week is speed work week and 45-50 miles if that.  

Got my hunny to join the PG rec center for the month for 25 dollars.  This way he has No excuses : D and I can get some TM runs in without slip sliding away outside in the ice and snow.  Plan followed pretty closely.  3 mile warm up at 9:07, 8:33, and 8:24 at 2 % grade.  Then ran 4 minutes at marathon pace (7:13, just a guess) and 2 minutes at 10k pace (6:44, again a guess), NO recovery,  repeated  x 7.  So 42 minutes at pretty nice pace.  This is a LT run.  One mile cool down at 8- 8:13.  Troy had been waiting patiently so went home with him and then did push ups on the ball:  12, 10, 7, 7,6 (60sec rest in between) and arms--flys, shoulder press, two biceps type curls, over the head triceps, planks (two times each side x 30 seconds), front plank (x 60 sec), ended with crunches 25 to the left, right, then center.  Amen.  

Too icy and Too cold before work and with a skiff of snow on the roads I wasn't going to take my chances biffing it and hobbling home in distress.  Plus I have this same blister that keeps popping up on my left foot.  I figure a day off would help it heal.  I was so tired when I got to work without my adrenaline rush of running beforehand.